The Detroit Lions are trading veteran running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans,NFL Network's Tom Pelisseroreported Monday.
The Texans will send their 2026 fourth-round pick, offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and a seventh-round pick for Montgomery, NFL Network's Ian Rapoportreports. The deal won't officially go through until the start of the new league year on March 11.
Montgomery expressed his appreciation for Detroit in an Instagram post on Monday. "Everything I do next carries a piece of Detroit with it, Montgomery wrote. "The work ethic. The edge. The heart. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for walking this chapter with me."
The news comes just one day afterMontgomery denied reports that he "wanted out"of Detroit, refuting a report from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that he was seeking a fresh start, also noting that the Lions would want "possibly a fifth-rounder" in return for the vet.
Montgomery was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears as a third-round pick out of the 2019 NFL Draft class. After four years in Chicago as the team's lead running back, he signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Lions in free agency in 2023, following that up with a two-year, $18.25 million contract extension in Oct. 2024.
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Montgomery is scheduled to become a free agent again in 2028, barring a new deal with Houston.
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Houston offers Montgomery a fresh start and the chance to boost his carries after a career-low season. Montgomery continues the Texans trend of having a reliable veteran option in the backfield. This is the third consecutive offseason the Texans have added a veteran running back. The Montgomery trade follows the signing of Nick Chubb and a trade for Joe Mixon in the two prior offseasons.
Last season, the Texans relied on rookie running back Woody Marks and Chubb in the backfield. The Texans were 22nd in rushing yards per game and 31st in rushing touchdowns last season, despite being 13th in rushing attempts
With Chubb set to hit free agency and Mixon's future with the team unknown, with him still recovering from a foot injury, Montgomery and Marks are expected to be the team's leading rushers next season.
The Texans have also continued to shift their offensive line,trading Tytus Howardand Scruggs.
For the Lions, trading Montgomery frees up more touches for leading rusher Jahmyr Gibbs. He also frees up cap space, allowing the Lions to extend players such as Gibbs, Jack Campbell and Brian Branch.
Gibbs posted a picture of Sonic and Knuckles crying after the trade on Monday. Gibbs and Montgomery embraced the "Sonic and Knuckles" comparison as a running back duo. Gibbs was dubbed Sonic for his speed and quickness, while Montgomery was called Knuckles for his power and physicality. This will be Gibbs's first season without Montgomery after the two joined the Lions together in 2023.
Scruggs, a 2023 second-round pick, adds depth to the Lions' offensive line after the team struggled last season, while the newly acquired picks will help fill other team needs.